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That union test pilot group had shrunk to about six people from 24 in 2016 as some left the union to become company technical pilots, retired or went back to flying passengers, American said. For the past five years, American has been transitioning our test flying to these skilled pilots and fleet experts to better manage the unpredictable nature of test flights, which are dictated by the completion of maintenance and do not follow a set schedule, American Airlines spokeswoman Sarah Jantz said. But the Allied Pilots Association, which represents American s roughly 15,000 pilots, opposes the measure. The foundation of AA s strong safety culture has been a commitment to ensuring that independent, protected, and unintimidated pilots are conducting these critical safety check flights versus management pilots who may have a conflict of interest, Eric Ferguson, an American Airlines captain and APA s president, said in a Feb. 19 message to members. Any move to crack that foundation

United statesEric fergusonIan gregorSarah jantzAmerican airlinesTransportation department inspectorAviation administrationPilots associationTransportation departmentAllied pilots associationFleet captainsTechnical pilotsAirworthiness directiveInspector generalFederal aviation administrationAmerican airlines group inc